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Tornado whips up 3D visuals for online library

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 5, 2003

Trace Parts Online has an all-new new 3D visualisation capability.

Trace Parts Online has an all-new new 3D visualisation capability.

The addition of seamless 3D visualisation into the Trace Parts Internet portal will significantly enhance the CAD user's experience with interactive 3D content, and accelerate decision-making in the online part selection process.

Mechanical CAD professionals from a wide range of industries can access an extensive online database of models and component information from international CAD standard libraries and global component manufacturers.

With a single click, 3D visualisation of the desired part is invoked through an ultra-streamlined and customised web client interface based on Tornado Technologies' WebVIZ Suite.

The 3D model is immediately displayed in the highly compact and optimised VIZ 3D file format, allowing the user to manipulate the model in real time, regardless of desktop hardware configuration.

"Trace Parts is a pioneer and technology leader in the area of electronic parts Catalogue solutions, both in terms of CAD platform integration and infrastructure for online communication between CAD users and parts vendors", said Dominique Gatto, Tornado Technologies' founder and CEO.

"It is the common focus on delivering productivity gain and business value through cutting-edge technology which formed the basis for our partnership, and the long-term potential for broader collaboration".

Tornado Technologies' WebVIZ Suite offers several key advantages for implementing 3D visualisation within e-commerce environments.

First and foremost, the remarkable agility of the web client interface, and high optimisation of the proprietary 3D file format, ensures unfettered communication of 3D model content across extensive portal services.

In addition, support for multiple native 3D CAD file formats used in manufacturing, architecture, engineering and process plant sectors, provides compatibility with the relevant CAD standard of vertical industry portals.

These features are complemented by an easy to use server-based administration tool, called VIZManager, for batch conversion of the CAD models into Tornado's VIZ 3D file format, and electronically signing the VIZ files for security purposes.

"Teaming up with Tornado Technologies will provide our 50,000 Trace Parts Online users with instant and seamless access to 3D visualisation for all the 20 million parts available from our Internet CAD portal", said Gabriel Guigue, Managing Director of Trace Parts.

"We believe this strong partnership is the perfect example of our commitment to serve our customers with the best solutions to increase their productivity in their CAD process".